Packet processing performance is a key factor for the success of software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV). In SDN and NFV, packet processing is performed using commodity central processing units (CPUs) coupled together with network interface controller (NICs).
To improve performance, a packet batch processing architecture using a node graph is widely accepted in the industry. During packet batch processing, a basic assumption is made that all of the packets in a single batch will go through the same node graph path. However, in practical applications the packets in one batch utilize different protocols and, as such, do not end up going through the same graph path.